1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an improved blackout control system for lighting control systems installed within an emergency or police vehicle for altering the control of the lighting features of the vehicle. The blackout control system comprises an improved control panel unit, a harness unit and a control unit. The improved blackout control system of the present invention pertains to those lighting control systems installed within emergency or police vehicles for blacking out selectively one or more of the following vehicle lighting devices: one or both headlights, interior dome light, brake lights, tail lights, back-up lights, dashboard lights, and the control panel lights to render the vehicle less visible to those outside the vehicle. Several bypass plug-in units are provided for the convenience of bypassing the improved blackout control system in the event servicing of different control systems is required or if a return to the original lighting system is desired without expensive removal of the blackout control system.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Lighting control devices for altering the conventional lighting features of a vehicle are located between the switching arrangements of the vehicle, such as the running lights switch, the high beam switch, etc., and the lights under their control. These devices allow for special lighting features to be added to the conventional lighting features of the vehicle. Some of the devices allow for an override of the special lighting features to allow the lighting features to operate in the conventional manner when desired by the user.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,037,195 issued Jul. 19, 1977, to Jack Edward Wojslawowicz describes a vehicular signal light control system which includes silicon-controlled-rectifiers of the gate-turn-off type to selectively control the current to the running lights.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,249,160 issued Feb. 3, 1981, to Graham R. Chilvers describes a vehicle mounted light activated control system for operating warning lights which includes a light sensor and a comparator. The comparator then triggers a time delay threshold device which switches on the warning lights for ten seconds, and only when the sensed light intensity of an approaching vehicle exceeds a threshold.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,678,925 issued Jul. 7, 1987, to Diethelm Grocke describes a dashboard lighting switch and switch lever for a motor vehicle.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,812,808 issued Mar. 14, 1989, to Larry F. Ulrich describes an electronic control circuit for controlling vehicle lights. An electronic circuitry board which has emergency circuitry to include tail lights with brake lights, front running lights, turn indicator lights with a switch, an emergency switch, and a brake light switch.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,939,503 issued Jul. 3, 1990, to Carl S. Swanson describes a wiring device system for a towed vehicle which couples the signal lights of both vehicles.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,081,565 issued Jan. 14, 1992, to Ali M. Nabha et al., describes a daytime running light system for a vehicle by employing level sensing comparators to effect reduced illumination of the high beam headlamps.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.